The Wilmingtonian., 1887-10-29
Concerning the Proposed Colorado
Colony.

! SOiCuN.
Fruita, COL, Oct 10th, 1887
To the Editor Of the WILMINaToNIAN,
Dear Sir:-Now that the call for "Col-
orado Colony" has appeared in your COL
umns and been sanctioned by you, it may
not be out of place for me to offer few re-
marks, through your columns, upon the
subject of oolonizing and the material bene-
fits to be derived from thorough organiza-
tion, such as | hope to see, in connection
with the HOMER town enterprise.
became colonist in the year 1870, join
rug the Union Colony organized by Horace
Greeley of the New York Tribune and pitched
my tent where the beautiful city of Greeley
now stands, in the spring of that year. At
that time, the cultivation of the soil by irri.
CATION was only carried on on a small scale; I;
but by the cooperation of the members of
he Colony each one of whom had paid in to
the treasury $3.50 for membership, large
amount of land was secured, town site
laid out and the adjoining lands subdivided
into five, ten, twenty aud forty acre tracts.
Each member was entitled to receive one
of these subdivded tracts of land for the $50
paid; in additi IN he had the privilege of pur-
chasing one residence and one business lot.
These lots were placed at s25 each except
corner lots which were $50 Tue colonist
was required to build on one of the threeprices
selected, within Que year from the date OF
selection Of lots. This was to prevent spec
uation in real estate and to encourage the
presence and support OF the colonists. The
plan was found to work we'll.
Az an instance of increase of value wish
to state that the lots on the main business
strt ct in Greeley which were sold 10 the be.
ginning at s25 and $50, are now worth $500
to $4,000. Within the last six months two
lots, for which, one being corner, $75 was
paid in 1890, were sold for 10000. The five
acre tracts, or the larger ones at $3.50 each
are now hold at from 5000 to $500 per acre.
Residence lots also advanced in price and |
have known some acre lots to bring $4,000 for
which only $50 were paid in the beginning.
Two years later, at Colorado Springs 1
assisted in plotting and laying out that now
famous and beautiful city Here prices
were fixed somewhat higher and no .ots
were sold less than $50 and 500 for inside
and corner lots. Without going int details
l will simply say that the same advance in
prices took place here as at Greeley. If
anything, more rapid one took place and
50 day business and residence lots rule high
er here than at Greeley, for the reason that
one is more of fashion resort than the
other.
The question arises-Cau what was done
at Greeley and Colorado Springs be done in
the new enterprise we are about to engage
in =? Cau the Homer COlonists who invest
their money (et us say $3.50 each, though
as yet the amount has not been determined
uponJ expect to realize handsome profit
upon their investment, aside from the as
sumption that each ore expects to make
home upon the tract they select ?
In answer say, in all sincerity that see
no reason whatever, to doubt it. Given, a
location as desirable, management of col
ony affairs in conservative manner, the
active cooperation of all who pin it and
there can be but one result--and that-suc-
cess, financially, socially; as ia dividends and
as a corporate body.
With fruit culture primarily the object of
those who join us, wo can invite the young
and the old to join us; women, who IN bee
keeping, berry raising poultry keeping and
like easy methods of outdoor work, can find
a rich reward for their labor aud an indie
pendence which no other business can give
them. Invalids too eau come aud in tue
W rue of Colorado can fiud balm more
healing than that OF Gead. Those who al Q
consumptively inclined will surely fiud re-
cuperation and restoration to health in the
Dalmy sunshine, the pure dry air for which
the State is becoming so we'll known.
Ifyou will allow me, dear Editor, will
continue this subject in future brief papers;
some of which will be devoted to state
ment of the profits resulting from the cuti-
walton of few acres to fruit. And will
be glad to answer either by letter or through
the columns of the WILMINGToNIAN, any
questions those who think of joining ou
colony may wish to ask.
Yours fraternally,
WIN. E. PABoR.
Nearing Completion.
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